<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Dancing in the Dark by Lavender_Latte</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23089228">Dancing in the Dark</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lavender_Latte/pseuds/Lavender_Latte'>Lavender_Latte</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Bucky Barnes Needs a Hug, Dancing, Drabble, F/M, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Pre-Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie), Wakanda (Marvel)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 11:56:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>730</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23089228</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lavender_Latte/pseuds/Lavender_Latte</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Bucky Barnes is a soft baby and he just wants to look at the stars and dance.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes/Original Female Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Dancing in the Dark</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was too loud and too quiet all at once. The clock ticked dutifully and the air conditioner breathed deeply and the general hum of electricity sounded through the walls. She could hear her own lungs expanding, feel the sheets burning in her sock covered feet and exposed legs, see the ceiling in the darkness. </p><p>The spot next to her was cold, which explained why she had woken up so abruptly. The sheets were still wrinkled and the fluffy blue slippers by the foot of the bed were gone. So was Bucky. </p><p>“Bucky?” </p><p>No answer. So she sat up and slipped her feet into fluffy white slippers, wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm and walked (clad in only Bucky’s red Henley that fell to the tops of her thighs) to the living room. Her feet padded against the hardwood floor and her legs shook with the slight chill in the apartment. </p><p>She found him standing, staring out at the Wakandan skyline. His hair was put up in a bun, moonlight painting his light scruff silver. He definitely noticed her there but made no move towards her. His right fist was closed and even in the dark, she could see the muscles in his forearm tense and relax as he tried to battle the emotions that threatened to take over him.</p><p>So it was one of those nights, then.</p><p>“Hey.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and inhaled against his back.  “How are you doing?”</p><p>He hummed and covered her hands with his. “Can’t sleep.” </p><p>His voice was quieter than usual, unsure and hesitant. His hair smelled like jasmine, his skin smelled like sandalwood. He always showered after a particularly bad flashback. Her heart slowed in her chest, aching at the thought that he hadn't woken her to guide him through the confusion of his mind. Bucky leaned back against her a little and she loosed a breath she hadn't realized that she was holding. She was here now, she'd make the best of it.</p><p>“Well, I don’t blame you.” She pressed a kiss in between his shoulder blades- she loved that spot. “Look at that view.”</p><p>He relaxed a little. Then, a minute later, “I remember dancing.”</p><p>She smiled against his spine. There was a lot of work to be done, in terms of regaining his memories from before he was scavenged by Hydra. Shuri said it was possible to recover 30% of them, good and bad. Bucky was still deciding whether he wanted to look that hard. It would be easier to just move forward, he explained to her later. Steve was still coming to terms with that idea: moving forward. To him, it seemed like a decade had passed since he saw his best friend. She still saw the pain in those bright blue eyes when he didn't think Bucky could see him. She didn't want to interfere with it. They'd figure it out when they had to. For now... </p><p>“Wanna give it a spin?”</p><p>Bucky nodded and turned, and she felt like all her breath had left her body. His eyes shone steel blue, and his lips glistened in the light. She was so desperately in love with this man. </p><p>“Do we have music?”</p><p>Shuri had called F.R.I.D.A.Y a valiant effort (at best), "We have much more advanced technologies here in Wakanda. Your playboy is playing with children's toys." Apparently Griot was the official Royal AI, personalized for maximum security and comfort.</p><p>“Griot, play my slow dance playlist please. Soft volume, people are sleeping.”</p><p>“Of course, starting with: Ella Fitzgerald.”</p><p>The music softly played and Bucky took her waist in his hands, slowly swaying them back and forth. She set her left hand on his chest and cupped his cheek with her right. He leaned in to press a soft kiss to her lips and she sighed. </p><p>“I love you, James Barnes.”</p><p>He smiled sheepishly and echoed it to her. A few moments passed and they swayed together, deep in thought. Neither of them said anything when they went to sleep, but both of them were thinking about the decisions that had to be made. The choice Steve gave Bucky last week: "There's a bigger threat coming, Buck. I'm not asking you to fight, but we could use all hands on deck. Uh, no offense."</p><p>But for now, sleep.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is my first ever published work of fiction so be nice to me :) </p><p>That being said, enjoy my lonely boy fanfic in honor of Bucky Barnes' Birthday tomorrow. My baby's turning 103 (according to Google)</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>